A West Wheatfield Township woman died early yesterday in a Pittsburgh hospital, and a Westmoreland County man has been charged with hindering a state trooper’s efforts to help her.

State police were summoned to the home on Climax Road Wednesday to check on the welfare of 39-year-old Julie Madeley, but when the trooper arrived he was met outside by 31-year-old Brandon Lee Crowe of Arnold. According to court records, Crowe told the trooper numerous times that Madeley was not in the home, but after several minutes admitted that he knew she was inside. The trooper forced his way into the home and found Madeley unresponsive “from an overdose of prescription drugs.” Madeley was taken to the Indiana Regional Medical Center, and transferred from there to UPMC Montefiore, where she was pronounced dead at 4:36 AM. An autopsy conducted yesterday and toxicology tests will determine the cause of death.

Crowe was ordered to leave the home and not return, but police say he came back and tried to take items valued at about $1,000. He then threatened the lives and the families of three people, including a state trooper.

He’s charged with three counts of terroristic threats, two counts of obstruction, and single counts of defiant trespassing, recklessly endangering, disorderly conduct, and theft. He’s in the Indiana County Jail with bond set at $50,000 and a preliminary hearing scheduled for Tuesday before District Judge George Thachik.